Railway signal-torpedo.



F. BUTCHER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO. APPLICATION men DEC. 9, 1913.

Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. F'HOTO-LITHO" WMSHINGmN D. C

' F. BUTCHER.

RAILWAY SIGNAL TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED DEC- 9| 1913. ,137,5 Patented Apr. 27, 1915.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2- THE NORRIS PETERS 60.. PHOTOLITHO WASHINGTONv D.

1 :v s i f: a

SIGNAL COMPANY, OF PITTSBURGH, JERSEY.

PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF NEW RAILWAY SIGNAL-TORPEDO.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 2'7, 1915.

Application filed December 9, 1913. Serial No. 805,620.

To all whom it may concern:

' zen ofthe United States, residing at Versailles, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Railway Signal-Torpedoes, of which the followingis a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanyingdrawing.

This invention relates to improvements in railway signal torpedoes andwhich pertains to a torpedo made from a blank sheet of paper having thecentral portion depressed to form a recess to receive the explosivecharge, the central portion having side and end flaps to fold inward andover each other to form an inclosure for the explosive charge within therecess.

The primary object of my present invention is to have the inturned flapshold a railengaging strap to the torpedo, by means of which strap thetorpedo is fastened to the railroad-rail.

A further object of my present invention is to strengthen the paper caseand to have the inturned flaps unite a rail-engaging strap to thetorpedo for holding the torpedo to the railway-rail. 1

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a perspective view of myimproved torpedo in which a spring rail-engaging strap is shown attachedthereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa sectional view of the line 3--8 of Fig. 2. Fig. 4: is a perspectiveview of the several parts comprising the torpedo, the parts being shownin separated relation. Fig. 5 is an inverted perspective view showing amodification for attaching a lead rail-engaging strap to the torpedo.

Referring nowoto the drawings and particularly to Fig. 4 the paper orfiber case is made from a paper blank A having a central portion 1, andthis central portion is bulged outward to form a recess 2 to receive theexplosive compound 3 which is preferably in the form of a tablet asshown in Fig. 4. This central portion 1, is provided with end flaps andwith side flaps 5. The side flaps 5 are turned in over the explosivecompound and in order to permit these to be folded in properly, thereare provided the U-shaped folds 6 formed in the corners of the main orbody portion 1, and these U- shaped folds extend inward at an angle and.preferably by a and the folded in the plate in position.

gradually decrease toward their inner end until they disappear at thewall of the recess 2.

When a spring rail-engaging strap 7 is to be used, then a plate 8 isprovided, and this plate is located between the folded in side flaps 5and the folded end flaps 4. The spring strap 7 is attached to this plate8, rivet 9. The plate 8 is cemented on top of the folded side flaps 5,end flaps 4 are cemented to the outside of the plate 8. This cement ismade of a water-proof compound preferably and will serve ordinarily tounite the flaps to the plate and hold the plate in place which carriesthe railengaging strap. However to further insure the attachment of theplate to the torpedo case especially when a spring strap is used, thecorners of the plate are provided with ears or lugs 9, are turned aroundover the end flaps 4 and serve to insure holding the end flaps closedand Attention is also directed to the fact that these ears being locatedat the corners of the plate they can be firmly and tightly closedagainst the end flaps because there is no explosive compound, at thecorners of the torpedo, owing to the oval or round-shape of the recess 2which forms the flat corners 10 (see Fig. 1) under which the ears 9 areturned and tightly clamped.

When a lead strap is used, there is no appreciable strain on the torpedocase when the strap is being opened up or folded around therailway-rail, and when the lead strap is used the plate 8 may be omittedas shown in Fig. 5. In this event, however, the end flaps t will besufficiently long to substantially meet in the center of the lead strap11 as shown at 12, and the side flaps, end flaps, and strap will becemented together.

The particular advantage of this torpedo resides in the fact that therecess 2 can be made of the oval wedge-shaped form here shown, or therecess can be made round. Both of these shapes are familiar to therailroads in metal torpedoes and have proven highly successful.

I am aware that it is not new to form a torpedo from a blank having sideand end flaps and the central portion having a recess to receive anexplosive compound, but this type of torpedo, so far as I- am aware, has

By the construction herein shown I -provide a torpedo, the case of whichconsists of a non-flying fiber which will not injure persons who happento be near when the torpedo is exploded by a passing train, and

one which is so constructed thateither a lead strap or a spring strapcan be practically, cheaply-and efliciently attached to the case. 7

Having thus described my invention what I claim. and-desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. An improved torpedo comprising a case made of a fibrous blank havinga central portion provided with an explosive receiving recess, the blankhaving inwardly folding flaps, a plate located between the flaps, astrap connected to the plate, the said plate provided with ears turned'over and clamping the outer inturned flap to the plate for the purposedescribed. I

2. An improved torpedo, comprising a case made of a paper blank, havinga central ing recess, the side and end flaps folded inward, a platelocated between the side and end flaps, the plate and flaps cemented to-GopieS of this patent may be 'obtain'ed 'for' five centseach,"byaddressing the walhington, D. 0.

gether, a strap connected to the plate, the plate provided with earsturned over and clamping the outer inturned' flaps to the plate for thepurpose described. V

3. An improved torpedo, comprising a case made of a paper blank having acentral portion provided with an explosive 'receiving'recess, thecentral portion having inturned side flaps and inturned endflaps, a

plate located between the side and end flaps, the flaps and platecemented together, the

corners of the plate having ears turned in ward onthe outer side of theouter inturned v flaps for clamping the'parts together.

4. An improved torpedo comprising a:

case madeeof a fibrous blank having a'cen- 4 tral portion provided withan; explosive receiving recess, the central portion having inwardlyfolded flaps, a plate located be tween the said flaps, a strap connectedto the plate, the corners of the plate provided with ears turned overand clamping one of the inturned flaps'to the plate for the purposedescribed;

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature 1n the presence oftwo WltIlGSSQSw portion provided wlth an explosive rece1v R. JUNKER, G.M. LEONARD.

Commissioner of Patent:,

